Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ABUJA914
2009-05-27 08:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:
NIGERIA: REMOVAL OF EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
how-toVZCZCXRO0824 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #0914/01 1470830 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 270830Z MAY 09 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6103 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD PRIORITY 0316 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0557 RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA PRIORITY 1920 RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 0872 RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0415 RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000914
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INL/AAE,INL/C
USEU FOR JMCANULTY
BAGHDAD FOR DMCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REMOVAL OF EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
ABUJA 00000914 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Piascik for reasons 1.4 (b
& d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000914
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INL/AAE,INL/C
USEU FOR JMCANULTY
BAGHDAD FOR DMCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REMOVAL OF EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
ABUJA 00000914 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Piascik for reasons 1.4 (b
& d)
1.(C) INLOff met with United Nations Office of Drugs and
Crime (UNDOC) IT Advisor Alain Nkoyock (strictly protect) on
May 6 and 13 and Country Representative Dagmar Thomas
(strictly protect) May 7 and 8 respectively regarding on the
removal of Tunde Ogunsakin, Director of Operations of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According
to Nkoyock, EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri was looking for any
opportunity to remove the Director of Operations and used
news reports alleging that he had paid a law student at the
University of Abuja to take his law school examinations for
him to make her case.
2. (C) Nkoyock informed INLOff that Chairman Waziri summoned
Ogunsakin and asked him to resign. After he refused, she then
went to GON Attorney General (AG) Michael Aondoaakaa, who
disagreed vehemently with her. According to Nkoyock, Waziri
and Aondoakaa went to President Umaru Yar,Adua to settle
their dispute, but the President refused to intervene and
told them to come to mutual agreement. When that effort
proved unsuccessful, Waziri contacted the Inspector General
of Police (IGP) Mike Okiro to request that Ogunsakin (who was
a seconded police officer) be redeployed from the EFCC back
to the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Headquarters in Abuja.
3. (C) According to Nkoyock, Ogunsakin had previously served
at the NPF,s Special Fraud Unit in Lagos under Chairman
Waziri in Lagos and had built a reputation for extortion from
suspects, which he had allegedly continued in his previous
job as Director of Operations of the Independent Corrupt
Practices Commission (ICPC) and later while at the EFCC. In
addition, Nkoyock noted that Ogunshakin had also been very
close to disgraced former IGP Tafa Balogun, whom the EFCC
convicted for corruption under its previous Chairman Nuhu
Ribadu. Nkoyock added that Ogunshakin is also very close to
Okiro, who reportedly has a predilection for corruption.
4. (C) According to Nkoyock, Aondoakaa, Okiro, and Balogun
orchestrated Ogunsakin,s arrival at the EFCC as Director of
Operations before Waziri,s confirmation. Nkoyock underscored
that Waziri played no part in Ogunsakin,s selection and that
the UNODC and the EFCC,s other development partners, such as
the European Commission, questioned his selection as he had
been very ineffective in his role at the ICPC, where only 15
cases of corruption were successfully prosecuted over its
eight years of existence. Nkoyock suggested that Ogunsakin
may have been selected in order to impede progress on cases
and protect certain high profile suspects in exchange for
bribes. (Note: In the past year under Waziri, UNODC
statistics at Nkoyock,s disposal indicate that the EFCC has
only 50 convictions with 6995 pending cases. End Note.)
Nkoyock stated that the EFCC Chair has been fed up with
international scrutiny of the agency,s performance and has
recently made a concerted effort to move forward on cases but
has been blocked by Aondoakaa; Nkoyock added that the AG and
others hoped to establish an independent line of authority
and were actively undermining Waziri in order to replace her
with Ogunsakin. He also noted that no one in the EFCC was
disappointed to see Ogunsakin go.
5. (C) Nkoyock confirms that Chairman Waziri has the desire
to proceed with cases but has been frustrated to the point of
exasperation by Aondoakaa. Nkoyock added that Ogunsakin,s
removal was Waziri,s first effort to establish independence
from the AG,s influence. The question, Nkoyock raised, is
whether she will survive the fight against Aondoakaa.
According to Nkoyock, chances are that she may not as
Aondoakaa was the one, who originally brought her in.
According to Nkoyock, the EFCC Chair appears to have only one
ally, EFCC Commission Secretary Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, who is
ABUJA 00000914 002.2 OF 002
a political survivor and has been able to stay in his
position since the beginning of the EFCC. But Akomaye has
personally indicated to INLOff that he has major
disagreements with Waziri; he has been advocating greater
transparency and cooperation with the International Community
and has encouraged her to pursue prosecutions. According to
Thomas, the UNODC and EC are planning to &infiltrate8 the
EFCC with its advisors while it is in a weakened state, and
take the reins of investigations similar to their successful
work with the IT projects. (Note: According to Thomas on May
7, the EFCC has balked at the idea of the proposed advisors
but said they would provide a response soon to UNODC.
(Endnote.)
6. COMMENT: (C) Waziri,s dispute with Aondoakaa over
Ogunsakin is the most pronounced example of their growing
feud to date; it is likely that Waziri and Aondoakaa will
continue their battle for control over the EFCC. It is
unclear who will replace Ogunsakin permanently, but without a
dedicated Director of Operations, cases will continue to
languish. The bright side, however, is the removal of an
ineffective Director of Operations. END COMMENT.
7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos and
cleared with LEGATT.
SANDERS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INL/AAE,INL/C
USEU FOR JMCANULTY
BAGHDAD FOR DMCCULLOUGH
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/14/2019
TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REMOVAL OF EFCC DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
ABUJA 00000914 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Piascik for reasons 1.4 (b
& d)
1.(C) INLOff met with United Nations Office of Drugs and
Crime (UNDOC) IT Advisor Alain Nkoyock (strictly protect) on
May 6 and 13 and Country Representative Dagmar Thomas
(strictly protect) May 7 and 8 respectively regarding on the
removal of Tunde Ogunsakin, Director of Operations of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). According
to Nkoyock, EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri was looking for any
opportunity to remove the Director of Operations and used
news reports alleging that he had paid a law student at the
University of Abuja to take his law school examinations for
him to make her case.
2. (C) Nkoyock informed INLOff that Chairman Waziri summoned
Ogunsakin and asked him to resign. After he refused, she then
went to GON Attorney General (AG) Michael Aondoaakaa, who
disagreed vehemently with her. According to Nkoyock, Waziri
and Aondoakaa went to President Umaru Yar,Adua to settle
their dispute, but the President refused to intervene and
told them to come to mutual agreement. When that effort
proved unsuccessful, Waziri contacted the Inspector General
of Police (IGP) Mike Okiro to request that Ogunsakin (who was
a seconded police officer) be redeployed from the EFCC back
to the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) Headquarters in Abuja.
3. (C) According to Nkoyock, Ogunsakin had previously served
at the NPF,s Special Fraud Unit in Lagos under Chairman
Waziri in Lagos and had built a reputation for extortion from
suspects, which he had allegedly continued in his previous
job as Director of Operations of the Independent Corrupt
Practices Commission (ICPC) and later while at the EFCC. In
addition, Nkoyock noted that Ogunshakin had also been very
close to disgraced former IGP Tafa Balogun, whom the EFCC
convicted for corruption under its previous Chairman Nuhu
Ribadu. Nkoyock added that Ogunshakin is also very close to
Okiro, who reportedly has a predilection for corruption.
4. (C) According to Nkoyock, Aondoakaa, Okiro, and Balogun
orchestrated Ogunsakin,s arrival at the EFCC as Director of
Operations before Waziri,s confirmation. Nkoyock underscored
that Waziri played no part in Ogunsakin,s selection and that
the UNODC and the EFCC,s other development partners, such as
the European Commission, questioned his selection as he had
been very ineffective in his role at the ICPC, where only 15
cases of corruption were successfully prosecuted over its
eight years of existence. Nkoyock suggested that Ogunsakin
may have been selected in order to impede progress on cases
and protect certain high profile suspects in exchange for
bribes. (Note: In the past year under Waziri, UNODC
statistics at Nkoyock,s disposal indicate that the EFCC has
only 50 convictions with 6995 pending cases. End Note.)
Nkoyock stated that the EFCC Chair has been fed up with
international scrutiny of the agency,s performance and has
recently made a concerted effort to move forward on cases but
has been blocked by Aondoakaa; Nkoyock added that the AG and
others hoped to establish an independent line of authority
and were actively undermining Waziri in order to replace her
with Ogunsakin. He also noted that no one in the EFCC was
disappointed to see Ogunsakin go.
5. (C) Nkoyock confirms that Chairman Waziri has the desire
to proceed with cases but has been frustrated to the point of
exasperation by Aondoakaa. Nkoyock added that Ogunsakin,s
removal was Waziri,s first effort to establish independence
from the AG,s influence. The question, Nkoyock raised, is
whether she will survive the fight against Aondoakaa.
According to Nkoyock, chances are that she may not as
Aondoakaa was the one, who originally brought her in.
According to Nkoyock, the EFCC Chair appears to have only one
ally, EFCC Commission Secretary Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, who is
ABUJA 00000914 002.2 OF 002
a political survivor and has been able to stay in his
position since the beginning of the EFCC. But Akomaye has
personally indicated to INLOff that he has major
disagreements with Waziri; he has been advocating greater
transparency and cooperation with the International Community
and has encouraged her to pursue prosecutions. According to
Thomas, the UNODC and EC are planning to &infiltrate8 the
EFCC with its advisors while it is in a weakened state, and
take the reins of investigations similar to their successful
work with the IT projects. (Note: According to Thomas on May
7, the EFCC has balked at the idea of the proposed advisors
but said they would provide a response soon to UNODC.
(Endnote.)
6. COMMENT: (C) Waziri,s dispute with Aondoakaa over
Ogunsakin is the most pronounced example of their growing
feud to date; it is likely that Waziri and Aondoakaa will
continue their battle for control over the EFCC. It is
unclear who will replace Ogunsakin permanently, but without a
dedicated Director of Operations, cases will continue to
languish. The bright side, however, is the removal of an
ineffective Director of Operations. END COMMENT.
7. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos and
cleared with LEGATT.
SANDERS